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Farage plans ‘Minister for deportations'

Farage plans ‘Minister for deportations'

Spectator24-04-2025

Machinery of government is not the sexiest of subjects – but it is a useful way of signalling a politician's priorities. Rishi Sunak used his first reshuffle to rebrand the 'Department for Energy Security' and create a new ministry for science. Boris Johnson invented the Department for Levelling Up; Jeremy Corbyn proposed a 'Minister for Peace.' Now, Nigel Farage has floated his own changes to the Whitehall machine, with the creation of a new ministry for deportations. At a Dover press conference this morning, the Reform leader declared that:
We will demand a minister for deportations. It will be part of the Home Office but it will be a separate department within it. We will need to recruit new people, as the evidence at the moment suggests those who work in the Home Office would wilfully obstruct policy if we won the next general election.
The eye-catching announcement was the top line from a speech which largely reprised Reform's greatest hits: leave the ECHR, repeal the Human Rights Act and clamp down on asylum claims.

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Labour rule in Wales taken for granted and under threat at Senedd poll
Labour rule in Wales taken for granted and under threat at Senedd poll

South Wales Guardian

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  • South Wales Guardian

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Labour rule in Wales taken for granted and under threat at Senedd poll
Labour rule in Wales taken for granted and under threat at Senedd poll

South Wales Argus

time2 hours ago

  • South Wales Argus

Labour rule in Wales taken for granted and under threat at Senedd poll

Baroness Eluned Morgan warned in her speech to the Welsh Labour conference that the Senedd elections will be a 'moment of reckoning' as Nigel Farage's party are 'rising', prompting people to ask 'big, serious questions about what kind of future they want for Wales'. Reform is looking to end Labour's 26 years of domination at the Senedd elections in May next year. Labour performed poorly in this year's local elections in England, which saw Mr Farage's party win a swathe of council seats. 'I think they're the biggest threat to Wales and our way of life,' Baroness Morgan told the PA news agency. 'I think people take Labour for granted in Wales. It's something that, you know, there's an expectation that we'll always be in power. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage spoke at a press conference in Port Talbot earlier this month (PA) 'So the things that are real in people's lives today, like free prescriptions, free parking in hospitals, free school meals for children in school. All of these things are political choices, and Reform would make different political choices.' Asked if she felt the best way to counter the threat of Reform in the elections was to shift to the left, she said: 'What I'm clear is that we've got to stay true to the values of Welsh Labour. 'And the values of Welsh Labour are consistent with the red Welsh way … and there are times when we will be in a different place from the UK. 'And yes, I think the political centre of gravity in Wales is further to the left than throughout the UK.' Port Talbot's remaining blast furnaces were shut down in September (PA) She had earlier accused Mr Farage of 'peddling fantasies about sending people's grandchildren down coal mines and reopening blast furnaces' while the Welsh government deals with the 'cost of industrial decline'. Mr Farage has said his party wants to restart Port Talbot's blast furnaces, which were shut down in September, with a new electric arc furnace being built in their place. The Prime Minister warned in his own speech that Mr Farage 'isn't interested in Wales' and has no viable plan for Port Talbot's blast furnaces. Sir Keir Starmer said the Reform leader has 'no idea what he's talking about' when it comes to the furnaces, and has 'no plan at all'. Sir Keir was critical of Reform UK's plans for Wales (Welsh Labour TV/PA) The Prime Minister had earlier warned of the prospect of the Tories, Reform UK and Plaid Cymru forming a coalition in the Senedd in what he called a 'backroom stitch-up'. The elections to the Senedd will use a proportional system for the first time, meaning coalitions are likely. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out making deals with Plaid Cymru or Reform. The Prime Minister said it would risk a 'return to the chaos and division of the last decade' and risk rolling back the progress his party is starting to make. It would be 'working families left to pick up the bill', he added. 'Whether that's with Reform or with Plaid's determination to cut Wales off from the rest of the country, with no plan to put Wales back together,' he said.

Labour rule in Wales taken for granted and under threat at Senedd poll
Labour rule in Wales taken for granted and under threat at Senedd poll

Leader Live

time3 hours ago

  • Leader Live

Labour rule in Wales taken for granted and under threat at Senedd poll

Baroness Eluned Morgan warned in her speech to the Welsh Labour conference that the Senedd elections will be a 'moment of reckoning' as Nigel Farage's party are 'rising', prompting people to ask 'big, serious questions about what kind of future they want for Wales'. Reform is looking to end Labour's 26 years of domination at the Senedd elections in May next year. Labour performed poorly in this year's local elections in England, which saw Mr Farage's party win a swathe of council seats. 'I think they're the biggest threat to Wales and our way of life,' Baroness Morgan told the PA news agency. 'I think people take Labour for granted in Wales. It's something that, you know, there's an expectation that we'll always be in power. 'So the things that are real in people's lives today, like free prescriptions, free parking in hospitals, free school meals for children in school. All of these things are political choices, and Reform would make different political choices.' Asked if she felt the best way to counter the threat of Reform in the elections was to shift to the left, she said: 'What I'm clear is that we've got to stay true to the values of Welsh Labour. 'And the values of Welsh Labour are consistent with the red Welsh way … and there are times when we will be in a different place from the UK. 'And yes, I think the political centre of gravity in Wales is further to the left than throughout the UK.' She had earlier accused Mr Farage of 'peddling fantasies about sending people's grandchildren down coal mines and reopening blast furnaces' while the Welsh government deals with the 'cost of industrial decline'. Mr Farage has said his party wants to restart Port Talbot's blast furnaces, which were shut down in September, with a new electric arc furnace being built in their place. The Prime Minister warned in his own speech that Mr Farage 'isn't interested in Wales' and has no viable plan for Port Talbot's blast furnaces. Sir Keir Starmer said the Reform leader has 'no idea what he's talking about' when it comes to the furnaces, and has 'no plan at all'. The Prime Minister had earlier warned of the prospect of the Tories, Reform UK and Plaid Cymru forming a coalition in the Senedd in what he called a 'backroom stitch-up'. The elections to the Senedd will use a proportional system for the first time, meaning coalitions are likely. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out making deals with Plaid Cymru or Reform. The Prime Minister said it would risk a 'return to the chaos and division of the last decade' and risk rolling back the progress his party is starting to make. It would be 'working families left to pick up the bill', he added. 'Whether that's with Reform or with Plaid's determination to cut Wales off from the rest of the country, with no plan to put Wales back together,' he said.

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